


Punch me

by LadyoftheDawn



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Merthur Week 2021, Post-Magic Reveal, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 20:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30061413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyoftheDawn/pseuds/LadyoftheDawn
Summary: Arthur has known about Merlin’s magic for weeks now, but he still has trouble getting used to it.Merthur week 2021Day1 - “I can’t think straight with you!”
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 113
Collections: Merthur Week 2021





	Punch me

Arthur has known about Merlin’s magic for weeks now, but he still has trouble getting used to it. He can’t help but take a step back every time Merlin knocks something off the table and freezes it mid-air. He can’t help but jump every time Merlin puts out the candle, standing at the other side of the room. And now, he can’t help but stare at Merlin who’s crouching on the ground, examining an ancient tablet closely while breathing out lines after lines of spells. He says it’s a magical riddle, and it’s their only way out from this small, smelly room they’ve stuck in the whole morning. 

Merlin groans with frustration.

“What seems to be the problem?” Arthur asks, his voice bouncing back and forth from wall to wall. The combination of the heat that’s building up in his chainmail and something that’s still nudging at the back of his mind make him sound more bitter than he actually feels.

“Well, I can’t think straight with you! Alright? Stop staring at me like that!”

Arthur hums in agreement, but still staring. 

Merlin takes a long-deep breath in. He closes his eyes as he turns his way, standing up now, their face level. “Punch me.” He says, simply.

“I beg your pardon?” Arthur says sarcastically but truly curious.

“Punch me. You’ll feel better.” He pauses to think a bit, then adds. “I’ll feel better.”

Merlin is standing so close, too close, and he has to push the man back by his chest. “Stop wasting time and get back to the riddle already.” He says.

Merlin steps back in. “Punch me.”

“Merlin.”

“You scare?”

“That’s not-”

“Come on then. I’m ready” close his eyes, waiting, hands clasps at his back.

“ _Merlin_! Stop being-”

“Punch me. Come on, Arthur, don’t be a coward, come on. Punch me, come on, Arthur, punch me, Arthur pun--”

He swings his arm back and punches him.

Merlin’s head sways to a side. He staggers a couple of steps backward but manages not to fall down on the hard-stone ground. He turns back with a little blood on his lips which he wipes with his thumb then looks at it, not looking up. Merlin was right, he does feel better. A corner of his mouth quirks up. His hands shakes.

“Can you get back to the riddle now?” Arthur asks.

Merlin gets back to the riddle without a word.

After they have escaped. After they have rested, eaten and done everything they wanted to do to celebrate their freedom, everything falls back to normal. Merlin comes into his room and does his usual evening chores, but being annoyingly silent, in Arthur’s opinion. Arthur stands watching him by his bedpost. Merlin pretends he is not there and finishes everything as quickly as he can. Before he leaves, he says, “Will there be anything else, sire?” while looking at the floor.

Arthur sighs. He feels guilty for the incident in the morning but he doesn't really know how to apologize. He only knows ‘I’m sorry’ and a punch in the arm, but he doubts that will suffice for this situation, also the later one would definitely make things worse. “Yes.”

Merlin stands still, waiting for an order.

Arthur points at his bed. “Sit down.” He commands.

Merlin looks up, arching up a brow.

“Sit. Down” Arthur says again, more firmly this time.

Merlin walks to the bed and sits down.

Arthur moves to stand in front of him. He bends down and when he moves his arm, Merlin squeezes his eyes shut as if fear that he’s going to get punched again. Arthur sighs and uses his thumb and index finger to hold Merlin’s chin, examining his lips and the darker shade of skin at a corner of his mouth. Merlin opens his eyes and looks at him.

“Does it hurt?”

“No.” He says and his muscle pulls, obviously hurt just by saying that.

“I-”

Come on, it has to be something that’s better than ‘I’m sorry.’ Arthur cursed internally. Merlin is looking at him with his puppy eyes and he has a sudden urge to say things, do stupid things, and before he knows it he's already resting his head on Merlin’s, breathing the same air as him. 

Merlin closes his eyes and Arthur takes as a sign to start nosing his cheek, then presses his mouth lightly on his. He can feel the man wince.

Staying at his mouth seems to be a bad idea, so he moves to his neck, cheeks, then ear, Merlin’s hand is in his hair, grabbing, letting go, and grabbing again, depending on the tide of his emotion and the rolling heat between them. His hand roams from the hem of his shirt, then up, and up, and…his hand found something.

“Take it off.” Arthur says as he pulls away.

Merlin seems confused at first, eyes disorient, but then takes his shirt off easily.

His body is covered in scars.

Arthur pushes him back gently by his shoulder. Merlin is half lying on his bed now, propping up by his elbows, and from this angle he can see it more clearly. He can’t seem to stop staring at those swell of skins, his hand reaching out and touching the one just under his ribcage. It’s a deep cut. He has one that looks like this on his lower back, and he knows how much it must have hurt when it’s first inflicted on the soft skin like that. 

"Merlin, I've no idea..." Arthur starts, hand trembling. "How many time--”

“That I save your royal arse? I’ve lost count.” Merlin cuts in with a chuckle, his eyes are sad.

He still doesn’t know what else to say, and the feeling is double now, with him knowing how far this man would go for him. How much pain he had endured silently for all these years. So Arthur says the only thing he knows, it must be better than nothing, isn’t it? “I’m sorry.” he whispers as his fingers go through each scar. “I’m sorry.” He says again and replaces his fingers with his lips. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m--” 

Merlin holds him, his head is trapped there, on Merlin’s chest, and Merlin is shaking, probably crying, but silently like he always does. Arthur hugs him by his waist, saying nothing but just staying there, staying with him, acknowledging his pain because he failed to do so years before, but not now, not anymore. And that’s how they fell asleep. 

The first sight when Arthur looks up the next morning is Merlin staring down at him, hand playing with his hair. His smile is brighter than ever.


End file.
